


No matter what, I'll always love you

by whitedandelions



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, M/M, Mentions of Prompto’s weight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-12-28 13:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21137609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whitedandelions/pseuds/whitedandelions
Summary: Prompto meets Noctis at an arcade.  And eventually realizes that he doesn't need to change to be Noctis' friend.





	No matter what, I'll always love you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [catsinouterspace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/catsinouterspace/gifts).

> hi! I scrolled through your letter tag and got really stuck on your prompt about prompto realizing that his worth as noctis' friend is not directly tied to being thin so I ended up writing it. thank you so much for the lovely prompts, I really enjoyed exploring prompto's character! happy halloween!

Prompto meets Noctis at an arcade.

They’re both still in middle school, and Prompto doesn’t have much spending money to play games. He likes hanging around the arcade though, because the workers are nice and sometimes let him play when their managers aren’t watching.

Prompto spends most of his time there, watching as records are beaten and friends playfully tease each other, and sometimes wishes he had his own friends to play games with.

He doesn’t get along with the other kids in his class, even though Prompto wishes he could make Lunafreya proud and become Noctis’ friend. It was tough to even think about approaching the prince, and so Prompto just kept putting it off.

He’s silent and so cool, and all Prompto could think of is that Noctis wouldn’t want to be a commoner’s friend. Let alone one that didn’t look like the others with his extra weight and everything. He didn’t think he deserved standing next to Noctis with the way he looked.

So he continues to hang out at the arcade and is completely surprised one day that the person standing next to him is the prince.

He doesn’t notice at first, so engrossed he is in the fighting game in front of him, and it’s not until he wins that Noctis speaks.

“You know,” he says, “My dad was so happy when they asked him to be in it.”

He whirls, recognizing the voice immediately, and gapes when he knows for sure it’s the prince.

“Oh, uh,” he says, and gestures uselessly at the arcade machine. “He’s my main.”

“I know,” says Noctis, and Prompto stares, a flush on his cheeks. There’s an answering one on Noctis in a few seconds and Noctis embarrassedly scuffs at his nose. “I mean, I’ve seen you playing him. It’s my favorite game, too.”

“I’ve never seen you here,” he says, and Noctis shrugs.

“I’m not that noticeable.”

Prompto wrinkles his nose because he’s talking to a _prince_, but Noctis is smirking at him so it’s obvious he’s just teasing.

“So who do you main?” he asks, changing the topic, and Noctis’ eyes light up, the game jargon already falling from his lips as he tells Prompto everything about his favorite and the absolute horror the combos are. They spend the rest of the day talking, and its only when they’re kicked out of the arcade, Prompto gets the courage to ask him if he wants to hang out tomorrow.

“Of course,” says Noctis, eyes bright in a way Prompto knows he’ll never forget, and then Noctis shocks him with his next words. “I’ll see you tomorrow then, Prompto?”

Prompto’s mouth falls open because he really hadn’t expected Noctis to know his name, but well, Noctis is smiling at him like he knows so he swallows his next words and just waves good-bye when a car drives up, obviously meant for Noctis.

They meet up the next day. Then the next. And it goes on for a month until Noctis starts to treat him to dinner after, and Prompto buys Noctis burgers and fries in return. Prompto meets Ignis, who introduces himself as Noctis’ caretaker, and Gladio, who Prompto is very sure is Noctis’ bodyguard but never actually says anything so Prompto just takes it all at face value.

When school starts, Noctis all but commandeers the seat next to him, and the teacher is way too cowed to say anything. They eat lunch together and go home together, and eventually Prompto starts to think of Noctis’ apartment as home.

He writes Lunafreya one day, telling her that he’s finally Noctis’ friend, and when she asks him how he did it, he has to pause and think about it. Because really, he hadn’t done anything at all; in fact, Noctis had approached _him_. He smiles as he thinks about that day in the arcade, and when Lunafreya hears of the story, she sends him back a bunch of flowery thanks that he reads the letter about a million times before stowing it away in his drawer.

* * *

When they start high school, someone breaks into Noctis’ apartment. Prompto’s stayed over, so he hears the crash first, and he’s so scared that it takes him a long while to gather up the courage to tiptoe his way into Noctis’ bedroom.

Noctis wakes with a gasp, and Prompto moves fast to muffle the sound. Noctis listens as Prompto quietly explains what’s happening, and when he’s done, he hears the voices in the living room.

It’s a simple burglary, Prompto infers by their words, and he’s so grateful he slumps backwards, sending a teary smile at Noctis. If they were here for Noctis, Prompto wasn’t sure if they would make it out alive. Of course, Prompto would give his life for Noctis, he’ll give _anything_ up for Noctis and he doesn’t care how sappy that makes him sound. He’s about to motion for Noctis to follow him into the closet when Noctis stands, a sword Prompto’s never seen before in his hands.

“Shouldn’t we wait for Ignis?” he hisses, but Noctis just grins at him and exits the room.

Prompto follows immediately, but there’s only wisps of blue left where Noctis was standing. His heart beats alarmingly fast, and by the time he gets to the living room, there’s three men tied up and Noctis’ sword is gone. He looks smug, and that’s when Prompto learns that Noctis had been training since forever how to fight.

Of course, Noctis still gets a scolding from both Ignis and Gladio, but Prompto is silent all the while. He doesn’t want to be protected by Noctis. He wants to protect Noctis, not just because he’s a prince, but because Prompto doesn’t want to see Noctis hurt.

And they spend a lot of time together. He’s the one that’s always with Noctis so it stands to reason that he should pick up some combat skills.

When he suggests it to Ignis and Gladio one day, when Noctis is sick and the two of them came to pick him up from school to drop him off at Noct’s, Gladio agrees readily.

Training starts in a week, and when Prompto tells Noctis during lunch what he’s planning, Noctis is silent for a long while before Prompto realizes his best friend’s actually upset.

“I just want to be useful,” he says, and realizes he said the wrong thing as soon as it leaves his mouth because Noctis turns to him, eyes blazing and mouth set in a stubborn pout.

“I don’t need you to be useful,” says Noctis. “I just need you to be Prompto. Just you.”

“I’ll still be me,” he protests, even though he still has no reason why Noctis is mad. His heart’s beating fast and it aches because he thinks he understands what Noctis isn't saying. “You don’t think I can do it?”

Noctis’ eyes grow wide and then he’s shaking his head furiously. “Of course you can!” he says, abruptly. “You’re Prompto. Of course you can do it. I just want you to know you don’t have to.”

They sit in silence after Noctis’ words as Prompto tries to think up a way to respond. He’s touched that Noctis feels that way, but he still doesn’t know how to make Noctis not upset. Noctis had never been angry with him before so Prompto really doesn’t know what to say.

He’s just about to suggest them to head to the arcade after school when Noctis reaches over. He doesn’t look at Prompto, and he’s hesitant, but when he grabs Prompto’s hand, it’s clear enough what he’s trying to say.

Prompto’s whole face flushes, and he’s sure he’s as red as a tomato. This isn’t what friends do, he thinks helplessly, but when Noctis turns his hand over to interlock their fingers, Prompto doesn’t pull away.

* * *

Training is brutal.

Prompto doesn’t think about his weight anymore. Noctis never brings it up, and neither does anyone else, and after that one disastrous time of reading the papers, Prompto doesn’t really check them out anymore.

It still boggles his mind, but he’s dating a prince. Not just a prince, but his best friend _Noctis_. They share discreet kisses beneath the bleachers and in secluded classrooms and less discreet ones inside of Noctis’ apartment. Ignis definitely knows, but he doesn’t say anything, and Gladio just high-fives him for no reason when training ends one day so Prompto is pretty sure Gladio's found out already.

Gladio sets him on such a rigorous training schedule that the first time he gets home, Prompto face plants and just about dies. Noctis laughs at him when he wakes up the next morning, with Prompto’s hair going in every direction, and Prompto peppers him with kisses as revenge. After he showers, Noctis has pancakes, bought of course – Noctis isn’t allowed to cook ever-, waiting for him and they eat while Prompto tells Noctis everything.

He likes running. He goes out sometimes at night and in the morning and Noctis eventually starts joining him, complaining all the while but still in his running shoes. Prompto kisses him before they head out, heart full, and eventually, results start to happen.

He’s surprised when he looks in the mirror the first time since training’s started, and while he’s grateful, he’s most grateful when the results in his training really pay off.

The memory of Noctis asking him to be his kingsglaive comes only second to the day when Noctis kisses him silly and asks him to stay by his side forever.

But of course, both memories are beaten when Prompto finally protects Noctis on his own. The way Noctis looks at him, full of admiration and love and hunger, is something he’ll never forget.


End file.
